This invention relates to a cleaning device for cleaning a shaving head of a dry shaving apparatus, having a housing, a holding device, a cleaning liquid container, a filter, a feed device adapted to be driven by a motor and including a supply pipe leading to a cleaning basin and a liquid drain from the cleaning basin to the cleaning liquid container.
A cleaning device of the type initially referred to is known from DE 44 02 238 C2. In one embodiment of a cleaning device according to this printed specification--FIG. 1--, a cleaning basin is provided with a connector having fitted thereto a porous hose member permeable to cleaning liquid to ensure that dirt particles do not enter the cleaning liquid container. Due to the substantial amounts of dirt particles needing to be removed from the shaving head of a dry shaving apparatus, the hose member is fouled in no time, which prevents cleaning liquid drained from the cleaning basin during the cleaning process from entering the cleaning liquid container. This results in spillage of cleaning liquid from the cleaning device. Approaches aimed at remedying the fouled condition, including in particular the removal of dirt particles, cannot be inferred from this printed specification.
In another embodiment of a cleaning device according to DE 44 02 238 C2--FIG. 6--provision is made for a cleaning liquid container with integrated filter provided in the cleaning liquid circuit between the feed device and the cleaning basin, wherein the cleaning liquid, together with the dirt particles occurring in the respective cleaning operation, is fed by the feed device from the collecting reservoir associated with the cleaning basin directly to the inner chamber of a filter, being retained by this filter. At the beginning of the cleaning operation the feed pump of the cleaning device initially aspirates air, forcing the air through the cleaning liquid container with integrated filter until the cleaning liquid present in the cleaning liquid container reaches the cleaning basin through a conduit and subsequently, through the collecting reservoir, the intake pipe of the feed pump. The continuous accumulation of dirt particles in the inner chamber of the filter presents an increasing resistance in the fluid circuit from the feed device to the cleaning basin, with the result that a feed device having a higher load-carrying capacity and hence incurring greater expense needs to be provided.